Pleated towel holder



April 9, 1968 E. c. GRANT 3,377,041

PLEATED TOWEL HOLDER Filed Aug. 5, 1966 EI'hon C. Gran-I- BY 1 I NVEN TOR United States Patent Oil ice This invention relates to towel holders, and more particularly to a holder for supporting a towel suspended therefrom in pleated form.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a towel holder which functions to support a towel in pleated form fr'ictionally but firmly, without modification or damage to the towel and without the use of pins or other elements perforating and extending through the towel.

Another important object of the present invention is the provision of a towel holder which functions to support towels of various sizes and weights and prearranged with any desired number of pleats.

A still further important object of this invention is to provide a pleated towel holder characterized by ease of installation and removal of the towel.

Still another important object of this invention is the provision of a pleate'd towel holder which is of simplified construction for economical manufacture.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of this invention will appear from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a towel l holder embodying the features of the present invention, the parts thereof being shown separated by an interposed, pre-pleated towel preparatory to installation of the latter; and

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view illustrating the cooperative relationship between the towel holder compo nents in towel supporting condition.

In its broad concept, the towel holder of the present invention utilizes relatively movable wedge components which function to removably secure a towel frictionally between them.

Referring to the embodiment illustrated in the drawing, the towel holder comprises two separate parts, namely a base section 10 and a cover section 12, each preferably formed as an integral unit as by the extrusion molding of synthetic plastic.

The base section includes a rear plate 14 adapted to be secured to a wall or other supporting member by any suitable means, such as by adhesive or by anchor screws inserted through the openings 16. Projecting forwardly from the base plate is a peripheral wall which defines the top 18 and side walls 20, 22 of the base section. The bottom is open for reception of a towel T.

Intermediate the top wall and the open bottom end of the base section is a pair of laterally spaced wedge plates 24, 26 secured to the rear plate and side walls. The space between these plates is adapted to receive the upper portion of a -pre-p1eated towel.

The cover section includes a front plate 28 dimensioned to abut the front edges of the top and side walls of the base sedtion. Centrally of the front plate and projecting rearwardly therefrom is a wedge member comprising a central, vertically elongated web 30 supporting vertically spaced upper and lower wedge elements 32 and 34, respectively. These wedge elements are triangular in plan view, the side edges diverging toward the front plate 28 and disposed symmetrically with respect to the web 30. In vertical cross section (FIG. 2) these wedge elements also are substantially triangular in shape, the apices of the upper and lower wedge elements facing each other but spaced apart by the web.

3,377,041 Patented Apr. 9, 1968 The wedge member is adapted to be inserted into the space between the laterally spaced wedge plates 2.4, 26 of the base section, with the upper and lower wedge elements projecting laterally toward the side walls of the base section, above and below the plane of the wedge plates.

Means is provided for releasably securing the cover section to the base section. In the embodiment illustrated, this means comprises a pair of laterally spaced and laterally resi'lient catch members 36 projecting rearwardly from the front plate 28. These catch members are adapted for releasable reception in openings 38 provided through the side walls of the base section, whereby to retain the cover section firmly secured to the base section. Removal of the cover section is achieved by pressing the catch members inward until they disengage from the openings, as will be understood.

To install a towel in the holder, the towel is first prepleated longitudinally, with any desired number of pleats. The upper portion of the pleated towel thenis inserted into the space between the wedge plates 24 and 26, with the lower portion of the towel depending freely through the open bottom of the base section. The cover section then is moved toward the base section, with the pointed, projecting end of the wedge member entering the center pleat and with the upper and lower wedge elements disposed above and below the plane ofthe wedge plates. The cover section then is pressed rearward until the front plate 28 abuts the front edges of the top and side walls of the base section and the catch members 36 snap into locking engagement with the openings 38. The pleated toweling material between the wedge plates and wedge elements thus is compressed and firmly secured frictionally against displacement even though considerable tugging may be applied to the towel depending from the holder.

The lower wedge elements 34 also serve to clearly define the central pleat. The pleats outwardly of the center a e retained in proper shape by the frictional bond provided by the wedging pressure in the area of the wedge members.

If desired, means also may be provided for defining the towel pleats disposed laterally outward from the central pleat. In the embodiment illustrated, such means is provided by the rearwardly projecting tabs 40 disposed symmetrically on opposite sides of the central web and extending substantially parallel thereto. These tabs are adapted to be inserted into the pleats formed on opposite sides of the central pleat, and they function to enlarge the pleat to greater dimension. Additional tabs may be provided if it is desired to prepleat the towel with a greater number of pleats than those shown in the drawmg.

When it is desired to remove a towel from the holder, the cover section is removed merely by pressing the catch members 36 inward until they disengage from the openings 38, whereupon the cover section may be retracted from the base section.

Thus, it will be apparent that the present invention provides a simplified holder by which a towel may be supported firmly but releasably in an attractively pleated form. Support of the towel does not in any way damage the latter, nor does it require perforating the towel with a supporting pin. The holder includes only two parts each of which may be formed as an integral unit by the inexpensive molding of synthetic plastic.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in the size, shape, number and arrangement of parts described hereinbefore may be made without departing from the spirit of this invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having now described my invention and the manner in which itmay be used, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A pleated towel holder comprising:

(a) a base section adapted to be secured to a supporting structure,

(b) a cover section supported removably on the base section,

(c) a pair of laterally spaced wedge members on one of the sections projecting toward the other section and adapted to receive between them an upper portion of a pleated towel,

(d) a central wedge member on said other section projecting toward said one section and adapted for insertion into the central pleat of the towel,

(e) the central wedge member having a central vertical web portion and at least one laterally extending wedge element projecting therefrom and spaced vertically with respect to the pair of wedge members.

2. The towel holder of. claim 1 wherein the pair of laterally spaced wedge members are on the base section.

3. The towel holder of claim 1 wherein the central wedge member includes a pair of wedge elements spaced vertically one on each side of the pair of laterally spaced wedge members.

4. The towel holder of claim 1 including pleat-defining members disposed on opposite sides of the central wedge member and projecting substantially parallel thereto and adapted for insertion in towel pleats formed outward from the central pleat.

5. The towel holder of claim 1 wherein the base section includes a'rear plate and forwardly projecting top and side walls.

6. The towel holder of claim 1 including interengaging lock means on the base and cover sections releasably securing said sections together.

7. The towel holder of claim 1 wherein (a) the pair of laterally spaced wedge members are on the base section,

(b) the central wedge member includes a pair of wedge elements spaced vertically one on each side of the pair of laterally spaced wedge members,

(c) the base section includes a rear plate and forwardly projecting top and side walls, and

(d) interengaging lock means are provided on the base and cover sections for releasably securing said sections together.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,339,187 1/1944 Pain 2A83l4 2,513,846 7/1950 Collins 2483 14 2,561,611 7/1951 Buchanan 248-314 2,902,244 9/ 1959 Andrews 248-309 ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner.

J. FRANKLIN FOSS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A PLEATED TOWEL HOLDER COMPRISING: (A) A BASE SECTION ADAPTED TO BE SECURED TO A SUPPORTING STRUCTURE, (B) A COVER SECTION SUPPORTED REMOVABLY ON THE BASE SECTION, (C) A PAIR OF LATERALLY SPACED WEDGE MEMBERS ON ONE OF THE SECTIONS PROJECTING TOWARD THE OTHER SECTION AND ADAPTED TO RECEIVE BETWEEN THEM AN UPPER PORTION OF A PLEATED TOWEL, (D) A CENTRAL WEDGE MEMBER ON SAID OTHER SECTION PROJECTING TOWARD SAID ONE SECTION AND ADAPTED FOR INSERTION INTO THE CENTRAL PLEAT OF THE TOWEL, (E) THE CENTRAL WEDGE MEMBER HAVING A CENTRAL VERTICAL WEB PORTION AND AT LEAST ONE LATERALLY EXTENDING WEDGE ELEMENT PROJECTING THEREFROM AND SPACED VERTICALLY WITH RESPECT TO THE PAIR OF WEDGE MEMBERS. 